It’s a rough night to be a Boston Celtics fan. Star swingman Jayson Tatum’s absence for tonight’s game was bad enough, but then the fans had to watch as their own team proceeded to lose Game 7 against the 76ers (109-100) and complete the dreaded 3-1 series collapse.
Joel Embiid led all scorers with a 34-point double-double that included 12 rebounds, six assists, zero steals, and one block on 46.2% shooting and 25.0% shooting from three. Tyrese Maxey wasn’t far behind with 30 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, zero steals, and zero blocks on 61.1% shooting and 50.0% shooting from the field.
For the Celtics, 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown was the lone bright spot for his team with 33 points, nine rebounds, four assists, zero steals, and three blocks on 44.4% shooting and 33.3% shooting from three. Starting point guard Derrick White, meanwhile, dropped 26 points, six rebounds, four assists, zero steals, and three blocks on 34.6% shooting and 31.3% shooting from three.
Overall, in this battle of old rivals, the 76ers finally got the revenge they’ve been waiting for, and they get to live to fight another day (they will face the Knicks in round two). While it took them coming back from the brink of elimination, Philly got the job done thanks to standout performances from the stars, shooting woes from the enemy, and clutch play down the stretch.
1. Power Of Embiid
7’0″ center Joel Embiid made up for his poor playoff track record with a signature MVP performance in Game 6, when he dropped 33 points, four rebounds, eight assists, and one block on 12-23 shooting. Tonight, in 39 minutes, he dropped another masterpiece with a team-high 34 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists on 46.2% shooting and 25.0% shooting from three. He was getting to his spots with ease tonight, staying a step ahead of the defense all night long.
Defensively, while Embiid had only one block on the night, he frequently contested shots, holding the Celtics to 39.8% shooting on the floor and just 26.5% from three. It was a true two-sided masterclass from the big man tonight, and arguably the best playoff game of his NBA career. It helped, of course, that the Celtics didn’t have any way to neutralize Embiid’s presence in the paint, given their lack of quality bigs.
2. Scoring Struggles For Boston
The Celtics haven’t looked the same on offense since the playoffs began. For a team that averaged 114.9 points per game in the regular season, their playoff scoring rate was pretty low at 107.7 points per game. While critics initially pointed to Jayson Tatum’s return as the biggest difference, he wasn’t in the lineup today, when they struggled to hit 100 points on just 39.8% shooting. The only saving grace for Boston is that they committed only five turnovers, which is one reason the score was close.
Overall, the biggest problems seem to be in the front court. At center, Luka Garza gave the Celtics nothing, finishing with zero points, zero assists, zero rebounds, and just one block in eight minutes. That doesn’t count Baylor Scheierman, who dropped zero points, six rebounds, two assists, and one steal on 0-4 shooting from the field. It’s in games like these that the Celtics start to regret trading Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, who have played big roles for them in the past and could have helped them tonight.
3. Clutch Play Down The Stretch
The game was anyone’s to win for most of the night, with momentum flipping multiple times. In the fourth quarter, while the Celtics technically outscored Philadelphia, it was Philly that delivered when it mattered most, going on a 10-2 run in the final two minutes that ultimately decided the game. That period was the 76ers at their best, defined by confidence, consistent communication, and nearly perfect execution on the floor. It was a collaborative effort on all fronts, including on defense, where they never let up.
Without Jayson Tatum on the floor, the Celtics were too easily predictable, and the Sixers were able to match what small ground they gained. Overall, highlighted by 25 team assists, the 76ers were much more organized on offense, which helped them break away down the stretch as the pressure closed in. The Celtics, meanwhile, looked scrambled as they struggled to keep up.
